Tag: Eliza Gilkyson

LISTEN: Eliza Gilkyson, “Here Comes the Night”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Eliza Gilkyson
Hometown: Taos, NM
Song: “Here Comes the Night”
Album: Home
Release Date: June 23, 2023
Label: Realiza Records

In Their Words: “With the encroaching reality of global warming and extreme natural disasters I find comfort in knowing that the Earth is more resilient than human beings at their worst. Even if I don’t live to see things turn around after they fall apart, I do feel hopeful about the Earth’s supreme thrust to create life in all its myriad forms. I wrote this song just to conjure up some courage to get my emotional ‘sea legs’ in the light of what’s coming within my lifetime, and to find some element of redemption in all of it. Musically, I wanted to keep it all upbeat rather than gloomy, to convey a combination of apprehensive and hopeful feelings. My brother Tony Gilkyson delivered just the kind of twang-and-grit guitar to accomplish that, and I think it pairs well with Don Richmond’s cascading mandolin parts.” – Eliza Gilkyson

Photo Credit: Robert Jensen

LISTEN: Eliza Gilkyson, “Wanderin'”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Eliza Gilkyson
Hometown: Taos, New Mexico
Song: “Wanderin'”
Album: Songs From the River Wind
Release Date: January 14, 2022
Label: Howlin’ Dog Records

In Their Words: “This is my adaptation of an old Irish ballad from the late 1800s that was passed along through the last century, picked up by Carl Sandburg in the 1920s and modified by folk singers in the ’60s such as Josh White, Dave Van Ronk and my dad, Terry Gilkyson, who covered it with his trio, the Easy Riders, in the ’50s. It was later recorded by Roger McGuinn and James Taylor in the ’80s. Typical of folk songs passed down through time, there are many verses and lyrics to be found for ‘Wanderin’.’ I have always loved this song, especially my dad’s version, but I wanted to rewrite it from a woman’s perspective. We women like to wander, too, but you rarely hear about that in those early folk songs and it seemed like the time was right for a woman to give it another point of view. I love the push and pull between loneliness and the sense of choosing that loneliness over ‘settling down.’ That might be the musicians’ creed right there! I set it in the Old West because that’s where I had my happiest roaming days.” — Eliza Gilkyson

Photo credit: Robert Jenson

WATCH: Eliza Gilkyson & Lynn Miles, “What If We”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Eliza Gilkyson & Lynn Miles
Hometown: Eliza: Taos, New Mexico; Lynn: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Song: “What If We” from Folk Alliance‘s Artists In (Their) Residences program
Release Date: June 14, 2021

In Their Words: “When Aengus Finnan first approached me about a co-write I was leaning towards not doing it due to my sort of Covid Contraction State of Being last year, but as soon as he suggested Lynn Miles as my co-writer all the doors and windows swung wide open. I am such a fan of Lynn’s music and she also happens to be a great friend. The whole process was as easy and as fun as I imagined it could be. Lynn had a song idea already percolating so she sent me some rough thoughts and it totally triggered ideas from me, so we just traded back and forth and I think gave each other space to do our thing and respect during the process. She also challenged me on some lyrics at one point and I just went with her thoughts and actually learned something different in my writing process. Never too old to learn something new! So it was a positive experience all around and I look forward to playing the song out at some point.” — Eliza Gilkyson

“Eliza is one of my songwriter heroes so I’m thrilled that we wrote this song together!” — Lynn Miles

 

WATCH: Eliza Gilkyson, “Beautiful World of Mine”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Eliza Gilkyson
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Beautiful World of Mine”
Album: 2020
Release Date: April 10, 2020
Label: Red House Records

In Their Words: “I wrote this song in Taos, New Mexico just looking out the window of my home there. My son Cisco, who produced the lyric video, wanted to make it seem like a day walking in the mountains, from sunrise to sunset. I think when you feel deeply connected to the natural world then you also become protective of it and willing to fight for it. This song and the video are meant to inspire that commitment to care for and protect our beautiful world.” — Eliza Gilkyson

Photo credit: Rodney Burseil

LISTEN: Eliza Gilkyson, “Sanctuary”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Eliza Gilkyson
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Sanctuary”
Album: Secularia
Release Date: July 13
Label: Red House Records

In Her Words: A hymn to the unknown, to the great mystery, to a higher intelligence, to the best part of oneself, to the natural world, to the collective. I purposefully never say who or what it is because that’s not for me to impose, and my imperative in creating this collection of songs was to be inclusive of all people who find spiritual meaning within or outside of traditional religious belief systems.

I never thought of this song as having gospel potential until Pastor Sam Butler, who sang, produced and played guitar with the Five Blind Boys of Alabama for 25 years, recorded it for his album, Raise Your Hand. Once I heard his version I could never hear it another way, so I invited him to take a verse on my new record, Secularia, which is a collection of what I call my “secular hymns.”

It has been so fulfilling to consider the song treatment in this light, and I am honored to have Sam sing it with me here. He brought in the other singers, David Hurst (tenor harmony vocal) and Darryl Boudreaux (bass harmony vocal), who are well-known gospel singers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area where we recorded the vocals.

Photo credit: Todd Wolfson